The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission has dismissed allegations of political interference after some commentators said that the “catch and release” of prominent people was politically motivated.
ZACC Commissioner Thandiwe Mlobani told the Chronicle in an interview on the sidelines of a national anti-corruption development strategy workshop in Bulawayo, that cases may sometimes be complex with whistle-blowers also not forthcoming. She said:
It’s true that the public has raised this concern about catch and release and they have attributed it to ZACC. Unfortunately, it’s not ZACC’s responsibility alone. This is a whole process.
ZACC according to the Constitution and the Act is mandated to carry out investigations, so ZACC only investigates cases of corruption and once the cases have been completed ZACC then refers the cases to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
So far, a number of prominent politicians and business people including former Cabinet minister, Priscah Mupfumira and Ignatius Chombo have been arrested over corruption allegations but only a handful have been convicted.
This has made some members of the public to view president Emmerson Mnangagwa’s anti-corruption crusade as an endeavour to hoodwink the public into believing that he was fighting corruption whilst he was merely paying lipservice.
More: The Chronicle.